


Sooner or later

by dahyunayeon



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: But today is not that day, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, one day i will stop using kim yerim as a love interest for chaeyoung just for drama, they would perish, what would they do without tzuyu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 09:08:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16082966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahyunayeon/pseuds/dahyunayeon
Summary: They may be absolute idiots, but Tzuyu loves them, even if it took them so long to find their way to each other.orDahyun and Chaeyoung's relationship through the years, and how Tzuyu is the most patient friend ever.





	Sooner or later

Tzuyu opens the door to a classroom she thought was empty only to find a girl sprawled out on the floor coloring a flower. It's recess, but Tzuyu just moved in a week ago and she doesn't know anyone, so she thought she would spend it inside rather than at the playground, and apparently this kid had had the same idea. The girl was too focused on her drawing to pay Tzuyu any attention, but when she hears running footsteps from the hallway she lifts her head up, and then she notices Tzuyu, but before she can say anything another girl comes rushing in holding a paper bag.

“I got it Chaengie!” she claims as she walks past Tzuyu and drops next to Chaeyoung, who sits up and thankfully takes the bag. The other kid notices Tzuyu and smiles at her, a few teeth missing from her mouth. “Oh, hey! Sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Dahyun, what's your name?” Tzuyu processes the sentence for a while, still having a lot of trouble with the language.

“I'm Tzuyu, I'm…” she tries really hard to remember the phrase her mother taught her, but she gives up and takes a card out of her pocket, handing it to Dahyun.

_I'm Chou Tzuyu, I'm 6 years old and I just moved here from Taiwan._

Dahyun smiles again and shows the card to Chaeyoung, but when Dahyun sees her struggling she reads it aloud for her (she tends to forget her friend is a year younger and not as advanced in reading as she is). Chaeyoung smiles at Tzuyu too and pats the space next to her, as she is still standing by the door.

Tzuyu sits down shyly and tries her best to act friendly, but it's hard when she can't really communicate with them. But she doesn't really need words, because Dahyun and Chaeyoung take two sandwiches out of the bag and offer some to Tzuyu, which she accepts with a genuine smile, and she stops feeling so nervous when, without saying a word, Chaeyoung gives her a piece of paper and pushes her pencils towards her. They spend the recess drawing silently and enjoying the sandwiches; Dahyun isn't drawing, but every time Tzuyu looks at her she smiles, and when she sees the dog Tzuyu is painting she gives her an enthusiastic thumbs up. Tzuyu thinks maybe moving wasn't so bad.

After that day Tzuyu had asked to move classrooms so she could be with Chaeyoung, and now that she shares classes with her friend she doesn't feel as scared. It also helps that the next day Dahyun shows up with a Taiwanese dictionary and three sandwiches in her bag. Both girls try her best to understand it, and Tzuyu is very thankful for their effort (they share a lot of laughs, Dahyun’s Taiwanese is quite funny). When Dahyun has to go back to her classroom, Tzuyu gives her a broken _thank you_ in Korean, and Dahyun just smiles widely, like she always does, and assures Tzuyu it's no problem at all.

 

Tzuyu thinks it's cute how much Dahyun cares for Chaeyoung. The older girl is always bringing her food, helping her reach stuff from the higher shelves and fixing her bangs when they get too messy. Chaeyoung draws Dahyun a lot, gives her the biggest slices of cake when they're over at her house, and ties her shoes because, believe it or not, Dahyun still has a hard time tying bows. Tzuyu thinks they have a precious friendship, and being let in feels nice, too, because they always include her in their plans, even if she's silent most of the time.

 

Tzuyu’s heart feels the warmest when her birthday comes around. She was feeling homesick thinking about her family back in Taiwan, but when she arrived at school and saw Chaeyoung and Dahyun waiting for her with a chocolate muffin and a gift, she forgets about the sadness for a while. They give her a dog plushie (which she names Minjoong), and a drawing of the three of them on the moon.

With tears in her eyes and chocolate crumbs on the corner of her mouth, Tzuyu hugs them both tightly. Korea is starting to feel more like home.

 

//

 

Tzuyu stares at Chaeyoung as the older girl sighs for the fifth time in the last two minutes. They're sitting next to each other on the courtyard watching how some kids kick a ball around, but, for the first time in years, Dahyun isn't there with them to keep Chaeyoung smiling. Not that Tzuyu doesn't make Chaeyoung happy, she does, but the younger girl has noticed Chaeyoung has a smile reserved especially for Dahyun. Their older friend started high school already, while Chaeyoung and Tzuyu still have to wait a year, and Chaeyoung is clearly not happy about that. Even if she doesn't say anything, Tzuyu has learned to read her friends pretty well, and she knows Chaeyoung is upset over the idea of Dahyun replacing them. Dahyun spent every recess with them, and while she did have some friends in her own year, she didn't hang out with them; but now she would be spending all morning with her classmates, and Chaeyoung felt scared.

“She can't replace you, you know?” Tzuyu says softly grabbing Chaeyoung’s hand, and Chaeyoung just pouts, not looking at Tzuyu. She spends the morning sulking, and whenever Tzuyu can make her laugh it feels like a victory. Surely, Dahyun would never forget about them.

Except that, she kinda does, a bit.

Dahyun has a lot to tell about high school, and Chaeyoung listens attentively like she always does, but when Dahyun starts talking about how cool her new friends are, Tzuyu can see Chaeyoung clenching her jaw a little bit. They're both glad Dahyun is comfortable even though they miss her, and Dahyun assures them she misses them, too, but Chaeyoung can't help but feel like she's being left aside.

Facebook is a thing now, and Chaeyoung makes an account at Dahyun’s insistence. Dahyun starts posting about her new friends a lot, and her profile is full of their messages and pictures. Dahyun interacts with Chaeyoung once in a while, tagging her in funny videos or commenting on her profile, and Chaeyoung knows it's dumb to be upset over a social media thing, but Dahyun hasn't posted a single picture with her or Tzuyu.

Tzuyu has to convince Chaeyoung that Dahyun is just excited about growing up and her ‘new' life, but that doesn't help lift Chaeyoung’s mood.

Chaeyoung has to settle for seeing Dahyun thrice a week, much less than she would like, but Dahyun is busy with school, her new piano classes, and hanging out at Jiwoo’s house, or going to the movies with Mina. She hangs out with Mina a lot, Chaeyoung has noticed, but not because Dahyun told her. Instead, she knows because Dahyun is always posting about Mina, almost like Chaeyoung can't see it, and she hates that she feels so hurt.

They meet Mina once, and Tzuyu thinks she's a nice girl, smart, and she likes that she's quiet. Chaeyoung thinks she's a friend thief and she never wants to see her again. But things don't go her way, and Dahyun starts including Mina in almost everything she does.

When Dahyun’s birthday comes around, Chaeyoung plans a big surprise party for the three of them, but Dahyun informs her last minute that she's going bowling with her new friends but that she expects Chaeyoung and Tzuyu to be there.

Chaeyoung’s heart breaks, but she still goes, because her love for Dahyun is bigger than the pain she feels in her chest.

Tzuyu likes Dahyun’s friends, she thinks they are a bit intimidating at first but they're nice and don't treat them differently because they're younger. Still, Tzuyu can't help but worry about Chaeyoung, who is holding back tears every time she tries to reach for Dahyun only for the girl to ditch her for someone else. Chaeyoung hates how Dahyun doesn't leave Mina's side, so she pretends to get a call from her mom and tells Dahyun she has to go. Dahyun doesn't ask her to stay.

Tzuyu has to go with Chaeyoung because there's no way she's gonna leave her alone like this. Chaeyoung hugs Tzuyu under a lamppost and cries into her shirt, holding onto the necklace she couldn’t give her friend, and Tzuyu only rubs soothing circles on her back and lets her cry as much as she wants. She knows there's something Chaeyoung isn't telling her, but she's not gonna ask her about it. When the time is right, Chaeyoung will tell her.

Tzuyu knows this, and she's willing to give Chaeyoung as much time as she needs.

 

 

When summer break starts, Mina leaves for her family’s beach house, leaving Dahyun with a clear schedule to spend all her time with Chaeyoung and Tzuyu.

Chaeyoung starts smiling that toothy grin she only has for Dahyun again, and Tzuyu never thought she could miss a smile so much. Tzuyu missed Dahyun, too, but she understood the older girl's position and valued the time they had together, even if it was brief, instead of sulking about not having her around as much.

But now they spent their afternoon together eating ice cream and swimming in Tzuyu’s pool, and it almost felt like they had never been apart. Jiwoo and Jungeun join them sometimes, but Chaeyoung doesn't get grumpy when they do. On the contrary, she bonds with Jiwoo over their favorite video games and even lets Jungeun teach her how to play volleyball.

If Tzuyu finds how Chaeyoung despises Mina but clings to Jiwoo’s side, she doesn't comment on it.

Chaeyoung still hasn't talked to Tzuyu about whatever it is she's hiding, but Tzuyu is starting to put some pieces together.

Dahyun doesn't stick to Jungeun's side the way she does with Mina, or text Jiwoo when she's with Chaeyoung; so Tzuyu guesses her tiny friend can somewhat deal with them better.

 

 

High school is just around the corner, and Tzuyu has grown so much she feels weird. She had always been taller than her friends, but nobody expected the sudden growth spurt that made her a head and a half taller than Chaeyoung. Dahyun found it very amusing, Chaeyoung just pouted every time someone pointed it out.

When they finally start going to school, even if she's tall now, she feels tiny next to the upperclassmen. They're intimidating, so she sticks to Chaeyoung who doesn't seem to have any issue with the older kids glancing their way.

Dahyun has learned how to properly manage her time, and always saves Fridays afternoons for Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. Chaeyoung begins to tolerate Mina, and Tzuyu is just glad she has stopped glaring at the Japanse girl every time she touches Dahyun.

Tzuyu is still giving her the time she needs.

 

 

A guy starts flirting with Dahyun, and Tzuyu doesn't mind, why would she? She thinks it's cute that he likes Dahyun, and teases her friend about it. But Chaeyoung seems to think very differently, as she shoots daggers out of her eyes every time he gets a bit too close for Chaeyoung’s liking.

As for Dahyun, she doesn't really show much interest in him. She deals with him, listens to his jokes and gives him half-hearted laughs (Tzuyu has seen her laugh more at a SpongeBob episode) but she’s too polite to downright say _dude, go away._ Chaeyoung, however, isn’t as polite and tells him multiple times to go as far as his tiny legs allow him too, but he just brushes it off as a joke and sits close to Dahyun anyway.

Chaeyoung googles hitmen numbers.

 

Mina invites Dahyun to a sleepover, and the girl is ecstatic, gushes to Chaeyoung and Tzuyu about how excited she is, and all that she hopes she and Mina will do. Tzuyu was afraid it would make Chaeyoung upset, but the girl seems oddly calm and Tzuyu doesn’t ask why that is; decides not to risk it.

 

Dahyun doesn’t tell them why, but after the party, she and Mina don’t talk anymore. Even if Chaeyoung wants to be happy about it, she can’t, because Dahyun tells them with tears in her eyes that Mina doesn’t want to see her anymore, that she asked Dahyun to forget about their friendship.

Chaeyoung sees red. How dare Mina treat her friend like that?  Who does she think she is, disposing of people like that? Like they mean nothing? The only reason she doesn’t slap the girl in the school hallway is Dahyun’s soft hand holding hers, insisting that _it doesn’t matter anymore._

Chaeyoung insists, but Dahyun doesn’t tell them, and Tzuyu tells her to drop it, Dahyun will talk to them when she feels ready.

God bless Chou Tzuyu and her amazing ability to understand her incredibly complicated friends.

 

 

Tzuyu starts to think that maybe whatever happened between Mina and Dahyun might have been more serious than she thought when her friend accepts to go on a date with the boy that had asked her out multiple times (Dahyun always refused, so why had she accepted now?). She asks Dahyun as they walk home, just the two of them, and Dahyun insists that there is no particular reason, but Tzuyu knows she’s not being honest. Tzuyu tells Dahyun that even if it is weird and very sudden, she hopes her date goes nicely. Dahyun just shrugs and thanks her, and Tzuyu wants to facepalm because both of her friends are the biggest idiots she knows.

 

The night of Dahyun’s date, Tzuyu is reading a book on her bed when her mom tells her that Chaeyoung is there to see her. Tzuyu hurries downstairs because she knows her friend would never go by her house unannounced like that, and she finds the girl looking tinier than usual, hugging herself by the hall. Tzuyu hugs her and leads her to the backyard where they sit in a hammock.

Chaeyoung admits she likes Dahyun, and Tzuyu doesn't have it in her to tell her that she already knew.

Instead, she just comforts her friend and asks if she wants to stay the night. Chaeyoung says yes, and she's glad she has Tzuyu there to support her. She almost forgets about the fact that Dahyun is watching a movie with that guy now, his greasy hands probably holding Dahyun’s soft ones. Chaeyoung doesn't even want to think about that dude trying to kiss her friend.

 

It's past midnight when Dahyun texts them in their group chat; the date was a regular one, she says, doesn't think she'll go out with him again. Chaeyoung just hums but Tzuyu knows she's relieved. Tzuyu knew she should ask, but she's very curious and really wants to know.

“ _Did u kiss him?”_

Chaeyoung holds her breath as the three dots appear on screen, feels her heart beat in her throat.

“ _hell no, his breath smelt of cheap Doritos.”_

(Dahyun goes out with him a few more times, she doesn’t tell Chaeyoung, but Tzuyu knows, and the tall girl tries to coax answers out of her friend but it seems impossible.

“ _Why do you keep seeing him? You don’t  like him.”_

 _“But maybe with a bit of time, I will.”_ )

(Dahyun doesn’t like this guy. She lays in her bed with the lights off, it’s almost three a.m and she can’t sleep, her mind going over their latest date. His hands were rough and too big, _not like Chaeyoung’s._ His breath is still nasty and he keeps trying to kiss Dahyun with his chapped lips. Dahyun thinks about Chaeyoung and her plump lips, and covers her eyes with her hands, letting out a huff charged with frustration. She cries that night, as realization falls on her. She knew, with Mina; she can’t keep denying it).

 

 

//

 

Dahyun is mindlessly playing with the hem of her skirt, sitting on the gym bench and waiting for the principal to begin her speech. It’s the beginning of her fourth year, and she’s sitting with the rest of her class while trying to catch Tzuyu’s eyes from across the room because Chaeyoung isn’t there and Dahyun is a bit worried. She huffs because Chaeyoung has been busy all summer with a new girl she met- Kim Yerim, and barely spent time with Dahyun, (Tzuyu told her that’s how Chaeyoung felt when she and Mina were together, and Dahyun’s stomach twists when she remembers her feelings, and can’t help but hope Chaeyoung doesn’t feel for Yerim what she did for Mina).

She keeps glancing at the door where some students are still coming in, and her mouth drops open when she finally spots her friend. Chaeyoung has a pair of thick glasses perched on her nose, and her hair is short, barely reaching her ears. Dahyun’s heart skips a beat and she scolds herself; she’s been doing a good job at burying her feelings deep inside her chest, she doesn’t need Chaeyoung to bring them to the surface again.

Chaeyoung, who catches her staring and _winks,_ and _goddammit Son Chaeyoung._ She greets Tzuyu and sits next to her, and Dahyun is brought out of her trance when Jungeun and Jiwoo plop down by her sides, starting to ramble about their summers. And Dahyun wants to listen, she really does, but Chaeyoung keeps running her hand through her hair and maybe Dahyun is feeling many things she shouldn’t.

 

Tzuyu hugs Chaeyoung and even kisses the top of her head, surprising the older girl as her friend had never really been too keen on affection, but Tzuyu is just happy and proud and she needs to let Chaeyoung know.

“You’re doing so well, Chaengie,” Tzuyu says still holding onto Chaeyoung, making the girl chuckle.

“What are you talking about Tzu?”

“You’re being yourself, and you’re doing so much better than last year.” Chaeyoung blushes a bit and tries to tuck her hair behind her ear out of habit.

“Yeah, well, there’s no point in hiding, is there?”

Tzuyu just nods and doesn’t say what crosses her mind.

_If only you could get that through Dahyun’s thick skull._

 

It’s a rough year.

Chaeyoung doesn’t say anything, but she’s dating Yerim, Dahyun knows. She wishes Chaeyoung would have told her instead of having to find out by catching them kissing in the park.

_(Dahyun had always wanted to be Chaeyoung’s first kiss)._

Even if Dahyun loves the wide, bright smile on Chaeyoung’s face, she hates that Yerim is the reason behind it, and she wants nothing more than for things to go back to normal, even if she’s not very sure of what normal is anymore.

She vents to Tzuyu, and she listens attentively like she always does; she offers support and rubs Dahyun’s back when she lets out small sobs, but inside her head, she’s just begging whoever is up there to make her friends stop being such _dumbasses._

 

_“You should have told me.”_

_“No, I shouldn’t. I don’t owe you anything.”_

_“We’re best friends, Chaeyoung, I don’t see why you wouldn’t tell me stuff like this.”_

_“Are we, really? Maybe I don’t want to be your dumb best friend, Dahyun.”_

_“So you don’t like me?”_

_“I like you way more than I should,” Chaeyoung chokes up a little bit and pulls away when Dahyun tries to reach for her._

_“Talk to me, please.”_

_“I have to go.”_

Chaeyoung breaks up with Yerim, or so Tzuyu tells her, and Dahyun feels relieved- and guilty because who knows how her friend is feeling, Dahyun shouldn’t be happy that they broke up, she should be checking up on her. But Chaeyoung finds her first, simply grabs her hand in the middle of the hallway and drags her to the second floor where most classrooms are empty, and Dahyun follows without really questioning her much.

She closes the door behind her and sits on a desk, but she’s not saying anything, so Dahyun stands in front of her, but Chaeyoung stays quiet.

“You know I broke up with Yerim, right?” Chaeyoung says all of sudden and Dahyun starts sweating a bit because she didn’t think they would be having this conversation so soon.

“Yeah, Tzu told me.”

“But she didn’t tell you why.”

“Nope…”

It’s awkward and Chaeyoung still won’t look at Dahyun, so the older girl takes her face between her hands and makes her look up, straight into her eyes. Chaeyoung’s eyes are wide and glossy with tears, and something Dahyun recognizes as fear.

“She’s great, she really is, but I couldn’t stay with her if my heart is somewhere else,” Chaeyoung whispers and Dahyun feels hopeful for the first time in a while. “I like you, Dahyunnie, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner.”

Dahyun hugs her and shakes her head against Chaeyoung’s shoulder, not quite believing that this is happening. “You have nothing to apologize for, dummy. I really like you, too, Chaeyoungie, a lot,” Dahyun chuckles and Chaeyoung wraps her arms around Dahyun’s waist, and Dahyun can only think about how _fitting_ it feels, like they were supposed to be hugging like this from the start.

“So, what happens now?”

//

 

Tzuyu knocks on the door two times and waits, resting her head on the wall. A loud thunder can be heard and Tzuyu is thankful she made it to the building before the storm started. The door opens and a smiling Dahyun greets her, opening the door even wider and motioning for her to come in.

“Forgot your keys?”

“Lost them, actually,” Dahyun laughs because this is the third time Tzuyu loses her keys, but the younger girl doesn’t really seem to care as she just drops her bag by the couch, where she finds Chaeyoung bundled up in at least five blankets with a laptop on top of her.

“Still having trouble with that essay?”

“No way, I’m kicking college’s ass even if it’s the last thing I do,” Chaeyoung smiles at her and Tzuyu ruffles her hair, giggling when Chaeyoung complains about her ruining her bangs.

“How was your flight, kid?” Dahyun yells from the kitchen where Tzuyu can smell something delicious cooking.

“Uneventful,” She answers simply.

“Your favorite kind!” Chaeyoung says and Tzuyu laughs as she picks her bag up and walks to her room, lying in her bed that she missed so much for a few minutes and then heads back to the living room. Her heart feels warm when she sees Dahyun hugging Chaeyoung by the shoulders and resting her chin on the younger girl’s head. She mumbles something that makes Chaeyoung smile the same grin that has been reserved for Dahyun only ever since Tzuyu can remember, and Dahyun kisses her cheek briefly before heading back to the kitchen.

They may be absolute idiots, but Tzuyu loves them, even if it took them so long to find their way to each other.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! I hope you liked it :D


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